Boost Note vs Laverna
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted notes & knowledge base options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Boost Note | Laverna |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 15 · At risk | 24 · At risk |
| Status | Archived | Actively maintained |
| Category | Notes & Knowledge Base | Notes & Knowledge Base |
| License | GPL-3.0 | MPL-2.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | JavaScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, binary | bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 4,046 | ★ 9,171 |
| First released | 2016 | 2014 |
| Replaces | Evernote | Evernote, Simplenote |
What are Boost Note and Laverna?
Boost Note
Boost Note is an open-source note-taking app aimed at developers, with Markdown editing, code snippet notes, tagging, and syntax highlighting. Notes are stored as files. The upstream app repository is archived and no longer actively developed.
- Markdown and snippet notes
- Tag-based organization
- File-based storage
- Code syntax highlighting
Laverna
Laverna is an open-source, web-based note-taking application with Markdown support and client-side encryption. It can store notes locally or sync via Dropbox or remoteStorage and can be self-hosted as a static app.
- Client-side encryption
- Markdown editor
- Offline support
- Static self-hosted app
Boost Note vs Laverna: key differences
The biggest difference is maintenance: Boost Note's repository is archived and no longer developed, while Laverna is actively maintained. Boost Note is written in TypeScript, while Laverna is built with JavaScript. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for Boost Note versus MPL-2.0 for Laverna. Laverna is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 256 MB for Boost Note. Laverna is the more established project (first released 2014), while Boost Note arrived in 2016. Laverna has the considerably larger community, at 9,171 GitHub stars versus 4,046.
Why pick each one
Choose Boost Note if…
- Developer-friendly
- Files you control
Watch out for
- Project direction shifted
- No first-party server
Choose Laverna if…
- Strong privacy focus
- No backend required
Watch out for
- Development has stalled
- Aging codebase
Frequently asked questions
Is Boost Note or Laverna better?
Neither is universally better. Laverna has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Boost Note and Laverna free and open-source?
Yes. Boost Note is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Laverna under MPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Boost Note and Laverna with Docker?
Boost Note: check the project docs for container support. Laverna: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Boost Note or Laverna?
Laverna has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for Boost Note. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.